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Interpreter education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become an interpreter. Interpreters usually study business, english, or linguistics. 56% of interpreters hold a bachelor's degree, and 15% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 16,460 real interpreter resumes to see exactly what interpreter education sections show.
The most common colleges for interpreters are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.
There are also many online interpreter courses to help get the education required to be an interpreter.
There are certain interpreter certifications that you should consider. These interpreter certifications include Certified Medical Interpreter (CMI) and Certified Medical Interpreter - Spanish (CMI).
What education do you need to become an interpreter?
What degree do you need to be an interpreter?
- Bachelor's, 56%
- Associate, 15%
- Master's, 12%
- High School Diploma, 7%
- Other Degrees, 10%
What should I major in to become an interpreter?
- Business, 15%
- English, 15%
- Linguistics, 7%
- Psychology, 6%
- Other Majors, 57%
Most common colleges for interpreters
| Interpreter common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of Phoenix | 9.30% |
| Arizona State University | 7.27% |
| New York University | 6.83% |
| George Mason University | 6.10% |
| National University | 5.81% |
Best majors for interpreters
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Business | 15.5% |
| 2 | English | 15.4% |
| 3 | Linguistics | 7.3% |
| 4 | Psychology | 6.3% |
| 5 | Accounting | 5.1% |
Best colleges for interpreters
The best colleges for interpreters are Harvard University, Northwestern University, and Columbia University in the City of New York.
An interpreter with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for interpreters. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become interpreters.
1. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$50,420
Enrollment
7,582
2. University of California - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$13,226
Enrollment
31,568
3. University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$14,184
Enrollment
30,845
4. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$8,987
Enrollment
18,946
5. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
6. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
7. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
8. University of Texas at Austin
Austin, TX • Private
In-state tuition
$10,610
Enrollment
40,329
9. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$59,430
Enrollment
8,216
10. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI • Private
In-state tuition
$15,262
Enrollment
30,079
20 best online courses for interpreters
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Top 10 most affordable universities for interpreters
The most affordable schools for interpreters are University of Florida, hunter college of the city university of new york, and baruch college of the city university of new york.
If the best universities for interpreters are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for interpreters.
1. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
2. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,182
Cost of attendance
13,998
3. Baruch College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,262
Cost of attendance
14,046
4. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
5. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York
Brooklyn, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,240
Cost of attendance
13,991
6. Lehman College of the City University of New York
Bronx, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,210
Cost of attendance
14,359
7. Queens College of the City University of New York
Queens, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,338
Cost of attendance
14,281
8. City College of New York of the City University of New York, The
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,140
Cost of attendance
14,430
9. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
10. California State University - Fullerton
Fullerton, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,886
Cost of attendance
17,645
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for interpreters
The hardest universities for interpreters to get into are Harvard University, Northwestern University, and Columbia University in the City of New York.
Some great schools for interpreters are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for interpreters based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
5%
SAT average
1,520
2. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
3. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
4. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
5. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
6. University of Chicago
Chicago, IL • Private
Admissions rate
7%
SAT average
1,520
7. Yale University
New Haven, CT • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,517
8. Dartmouth College
Hanover, NH • Private
Admissions rate
9%
SAT average
1,488
9. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
Admissions rate
9%
SAT average
1,516
10. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
17%
SAT average
1,507
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for interpreters
The easiest schools for interpreters to get into are Wayland Baptist University, mount saint mary's university, and barry university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as an interpreter without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for interpreters.
1. Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
1,003
2. Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,031
3. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
4. San Francisco State University
San Francisco, CA • Private
Admissions rate
72%
SAT average
1,054
5. Our Lady of the Lake University
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
93%
SAT average
1,002
6. Fresno Pacific University
Fresno, CA • Private
Admissions rate
85%
SAT average
1,053
7. D'Youville College
Buffalo, NY • Private
Admissions rate
100%
SAT average
1,072
8. Holy Names University
Oakland, CA • Private
Admissions rate
70%
SAT average
849
9. Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, CA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
983
10. Notre Dame College
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
994
Average interpreter salary by education level
| Interpreter education level | Interpreter salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $46,753 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $40,304 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $43,793 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $43,610 |
Interpreter education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025